Storage tank support



July 205 1954 EjscHMlTz STORAGE TANK SUPPORT Filed Feb. 9, 1951rllllllllllillllll E Y A llw/zslvrolg.i Ewald Schrnzz ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 20, 1954 STORAGE TANK SUPPORT Ewald Schmitz, Milwaukee,Wis., assignor to A. 0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New YorkApplication February 9, 1951, Serial No. 210,163

(Cl. 22B-48) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to Storage tanks and more particularly, to a newand improved reinforcing support for the same.

An object of the present invention is to provida a storage tank whichmay be constructed of relatively thin metal due to the manner in whichthe bracing of the tank is effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the free expansion ofcertain heated surfaces of a metal storage tank when said tank containshot liquids or tends to expand under service conliti-ons.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a means ofstructural reinforcement for a thin-walled alloy storage tank which iscapable cf resisting the internal pressure exerted by the containedmaterial.

Storage tanks may in service be utilized to contain hot liquids. Undersuch circumstances the metal Walls and bottom of the tank, which are incontact with the hot liquid, become heated. This heat is dissipatedrather rapidly from the side walls of the tank due to the freecirculation of air around the outer surfaces of said Walls, but as themetal base of the tank is insulated to some degree by the underlyingfoundation, the heat does not readily dissipate therefrom. Therefore asthe metal base becomes heated it expands outwardly. This expansioncauses severe stresses to be set up within the tank which are apt toresult in a structural failure or buckling of the tank walls.

The present invention is directed to a tank construction which willminimize failure due to the above conditions. The tank constructionconsists of a thin-walled generally cylindrical closed container mountedupon a suitable supporting foundation. The container shown isconstructed of a plurality of alloy plates, suitably welded together andreinforced by circumferentiaily extending T-beam members and verticallydisposed I-beam members which are circumferentially spaced about thecontainer and attached to the outer surface of the container. Thevertical reinforcing members extend from the upper edge of the tank walland are bent radially outwardly of the wall of the container as theyappreach the foundation to provide a small diverging recess between eachreinforcing member and the tank wall directly above the foundation. Uponheating, the base plate of the tank, which is joined to the tank shellby means of an outwardly curved alloy corner plate, is free to expandradially outward without being restrained by the nrrnly positionedreinforcing members, and hence no dangerous stresses are set up ortransmitted to the relatively thin Wall of the container.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription of an embodiment of the invention illustrated by theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational View partly in section of a storage tankembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lower portion ofthe tank; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing a jointbetween two panels of the side wall.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a storage tankessentially as described in Patent No. 2,395,685 of Henry A. Schmitz,Jr., which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

The structure to which the invention is directed comprises a base orfoundation l, on which is mounted a metal Storage tank comprising agenerally cylindrical shell 2 which is closed at the top by a roof 3 andat the bottom by a base member 4. Base il rests on foundation l and isjoined to shell 2 by a circumferentially extending corner piece 5 whichis suitably welded to the shell and base of the tank.

In the tank illustrated roof 3 is formed of sectional plates suitablysecured together. Shell 2 comprises a plurality of generally curvedrectangular shaped plates 6 assembled in line circumferentially with onerow of plates superimposed above the other. The plates are securedtogether along their horizontal seams by welds l and along then`vertical seams by welds 3.

The horizontal seams 'l are braced by T- shaped beams 9 which extendaround the shell and across each weld seam l and are welded to the shellon each side of each respective seam.

The tank is additionally braced by circumferentially spaced I-beammembers I@ which extend vertically of the shell substantially from topto bottom thereof along vertical weld seams S and are joined to theshell on either side of the respective vertical weld seams over whichthey lie by vertically extending welds i l to a line slightly below thelowermost horizontal seam 1. T-beams 9 are also welded to I-beams IU tomake a unitary bracing structure for the entire tank. For furtherdetails of the I-beam construction reference may be had to applicantsco-pending application Serial No. 200,184 filed December l1, 1950, asthe I-beam and joint between plates forms no part of this invention.

Slightly below lowermost horizontal seam 1 each I-bearn I turns radiallyoutward of the shell 2 and continues generally outwardly from the shelldown to foundation I to provide a diverging recess I2 between the shelland each I- beam for a substantial distance above foundation l.

The lower end of each I-beam I0 is welded to a channel piece I3 which issecured to the foundation by bolts lli.

By oisetting the lower end portions of the reinforcing members III fromthe shell 2, the base 4 of the tank when heated by hot Contained fluidis free to expand radially into the recess I2 between each member I0 andshell 2. Thus any stresses transmitted to the reinforcing members I0 areminimized over a structure in which members I0 are rigidly secured tothe shell for the full height of the tank.

The structure shown which comprises a sectional type tank with I-beambracing members is merely for illustrative purposes as the invention isapplicable to various types of tanks and bracing structures in which thebottom closure of the tank is in contact with the foundation so that thefoundation prevents the heat from contained fluid being readilydissipated from the bottom wall of the tank.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope ofthe accompanying claim.

I claim:

In a storage tank of the class described, a foundation, a thin-walledalloy cylindrical container, the base of said container being secured tothe cylindrical Wall thereof and resting on said foundation inoverlapping contacting relation therewith and expanding when subject toincreases of temperature, and a plurality of circumferentially-spacedvertically disposed reinforcing posts rigidly secured to said foundationand attached throughout the greater portion of the length thereof to theouter surface of said container, the lower extremities of said postsbeing bent radially outwardly from the container and the cylindricalwall of the container extending substantially vertically downward fromthe bend in said posts to provide a diverging recess between each postand the container for permitting free expansion of said base underservice conditions without wedging action during the expansion thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,885,601 Horton Nov. 1, 1932 2,301,061 Logeman Nov. 3, 19422,395,685 Schmitz, Jr Feb. 26, 1946 2,562,601 Caquot et al July 31, 19512,562,602 Caquot July 31, 1951

